Clinton vs. Obama: "There Will be Blood"

After a disappointing debate in Texas on Thursday night, and two mailing ads sent by Obama's campaign criticizing her health care plan and failure of NAFTA, Hillary Clinton has adopted a harsh tone against her rival Barack Obama.

Perhaps her top advisor's criticized her for her friendly comments towards her rival, particularly when she said: "No matter what happens in this contest, and I am honored to be here with Barack Obama."

At that moment, I truly thought she was acknowledging that she has failed to stop Obama in the primaries and she will end the attack on Obama, his experience and his campaign. For the first time, a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket seemed possible.

But it does matter and, in fact as CNN pointed out in one of its news program, "there will be blood." My prediction simply didn't come true. Hillary's campaign was hoping that her strength in face-to-face debates would reverse Obama's momentum in the Democratic presidential contest. Not only it did not help, but it might have further damaged her after her slanderous comment that Obama's plagiarized words were not "change you can believe in, it's change you can Xerox," which prompted booing from the audience.

On Saturday, she lashed out at Obama: "Shame on you, Barack Obama." She also invited Obama to a duel in the next Tuesday's debate: "Meet me in Ohio. Let's have a debate about your tactics and your behavior in this campaign."

It appears the current Clinton campaign strategy is to target Obama's character to win in Texas and Ohio. To do this she also compares him with President Bush. "Do you think people voting in 2000 knew what they were getting?" she said, referring to Bush's first-term bid for the presidency as a governor of Texas. "People thought they were getting a compassionate conservative. It turned out he was neither. We've been living with the consequences of those mistakes."

She accused Obama of questioning her health care plan, which no other Democrat had done before, and at the same time compared him with an unpopular Republican president, something which no other candidate has done.

Clinton's do-or-die strategy and attacks on Obama are very unlikely to succeed. She has been going downhill since the New Hampshire primaries, and the same message week after week is failing to bring her new supporter. Pressure to keep her White House hopes alive by winning the Texas and Ohio primaries on March 4th has pushed her campaign to attack Obama rather than redrafting her message to bring new ideas to the race, and attempt to change the course.

The truth is that Obama and Clinton's policies are not very different for ordinary people, whom are not likely to digest the detail policy sheets of each candidate. Therefore, fighting with Obama's message of hope and change is an uphill battle for Clinton particularly since thousands of people have found their voice in Obama; Clinton's effort to discredit Obama's message will only deepen the divide and polarize the Democratic party further, and possibly help Republicans in the general elections.

Comments

[Vash]

Hillary Clinton has lost her marbles. The incredible shrinking woman. Thank goodness Obama came along to keep her out of the White House.

[ICUP]

Blackface SNL? What's next Amos 'n' Andy? Minstrel Shows? That's bias. If a man played HRC in a bit, you can bet that she and Bill would be pissing and moaning about unfairness.

[jgolden]

She says "we'll have a united Democratic Party" ... while she does all she can to trash the leading candidate. The sad thing is that her slash and burn tactics will only end up doing more damage to the party's candidate: if it's Obama, she's given McCain lots of ammo and ideas; if it's her, she's completely compromised her own credibility.

[AnninCA]

Thank heaven's Hillary is speaking out. It's much better to see her tell the truth for all of her supporters.

She's saying far less than what we see daily about the movement.

[JakeEasy]

Just tell me why is is out of bounds for Clinton to question Obama's suitability to be president while it is considered patriotic to question Hillary's ability?

Now every one is in an uproar because she compared Barack to George Bush. But he and his supporters here on HuffnPuff have been doing that since the beginning of the race.

Hypocrisy is not a good trait. If both are hypocrites, then you can't get by with using that smear on your opponent.

[FreedomLoverX]

He never questioned Hillary's ability. What are you making up now?

[m4me08]

Explain to me what she has gotten RIGHT on foreign policy and in what universe she can say with a straight face we should trust her judgement. That is the point you guys don't get. I'm not saying Obama has a ton of f.p. experience, but Hillary hasn't stopped promoting hers. I just want to know what she is talking about. From what I see, she calls them all wrong. Not a very good track record. Like she says "If you want to know what someone will do, look at what they've done".

[JakeEasy]

Ah, the sweet smell of naivete.

Keep it up. It looks like you'll get the nom, then become the 2008 version of Kerry.

Just who is it that doesn't get it?

[research]

To all those sincere Dem out there: Neither candidate that the corporatist MSM allowed to debate is perfect. Both must seem reasonably corporatist, both must seem likely to continue the war, or the corporations won't let them play. Both must play politics. As every election I have ever experienced, we end up voting for the perceived lesser of two evils.

I WILL VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRATS PICK.

Beware the provocateurs, both covert rethug and deranged dem. You can tell, because they threaten to vote for Brain Dead McCain or Neverland Nader.

[LarBear]

Can someone please explain to me why so many Democrats are backing the Obama's, who show blatant Racist behavior? Why is the DNC not speaking out against the Obama's blatant Racist behavior? This is what the Democratic Party has transformed into??? Is it because the Obama's have black skin? The DNC is afraid of them??? Is there some kind of accepted Belief people with black skin tones can NOT behave Racist???
Part of my challenges of the Obama's has also been their Blatant play to Race and skin color... BLACK is not a Race! Black is about Beliefs, Behaviors, etc, yes... Race, NO! The Obama's ran Ads saying there is One America... Then Blatantly appeal to Black America, Black People, Black Voters, etc... And, imply all Black People should wake up and Vote for the First Black President, and imply White's would be racist to not vote for a Black man... They have played the Race Card against the Country and the Clinton's... I am offended by the Obama's Racist behavior and the Democrats tolerating this offensive, blatant, Behavior... Being "BLACK" is about accepting Beliefs and Behaviors, not about black skin tones...

G W Bush has manipulated the Voters (and Congress) with Fear... Now, the Obama's manipulate Voters with Racism and fear... I have no intent to trade one manipulator in for another... Will the First Black President continue to manipulate Voters (and Congress) also??? Tread softly , or I will play the Race Card against you, like I did the Clinton's, so to speak???

We're supposed to HOPE Democrats will bring change? REALLY??? So, more Democrats support two Americas, based on their votes? And Racism is OK with the DNC, as long as it Wins the Election???

[KaAp]

First and foremost your definitions are wrong a black person can be prejudiced but they cannot be racist ...
Racism has to do with a power formation it is part of a normalizing discourse or discursive practice.
So, if you want to say that the Obama's are prejudiced and then cite specific examples rather than ranting then you might have an argument that I would counter by saying:
The Clintons brought up race and played a form of racialized behavior which was reprehensible if you would like to trace the trajectory it is very evident
Secondly, please cite which beliefs and behaviors you see as "black," obviously that would help to frame your own subjectivities ...

Yes, Bush has manipulated fear and so has Hillary Clinton with Bill speaking of rolling the dice and her admonishment about shame and untested blah blah blah ... so spare me

I suggest however before you rant you get your definitions straight, examine your own subjectivities(I could clue you into certain coded language but I am sure you are aware of it) and finally give citations for what you are accusing someone of doing and I do not mean Joe dork's blog but something that is a credible source that could be used for a citation ...

[research]

Exactly what I was warning folks against. Grow up. It's politics. Of course Obama will appeal to black voters, and why not? Of course Hillary will appeal to women voters and Why not?

LarBear you are completely off the deep end.

[eridees]

LarBear, please with so much info available on the internet these days, could you point to a youtube video or internet link supporting any of your claims? So far the only racism confirmed in your post is your own.

[LoRiseAntlers]

It really looks like Hillary's setting herself up for a thrashing in the Ohio debate.Every one of her negative attacks has turned and bit her,yet she doesn't seem to realize she's bleeding.I think Obama's gonna put her away Tuesday.

[mommadona]

A truly SHRUMMIN' process.

A truly DLC modis-operandi

The Hill and Bill Tag Team will take it allll the way to the convention.

They are willing to win the battle to lose the war. It is THAT simple..."Marcia, Marcia, Marcia"

[nancytheragingliberal]

Countess: I agree and the sooner the better. Who is she to sound and look so hostile re: Obama? She attacked him right after she said that "It was an honor to be on the stage with him." She is too unstable and getting worse. This reminds me of the little creep sitting in the WH, as I write.

[AnitaBee]

I'd begun to believe we would have two candidates, Obama and McCain, who are decent people (as politicians go), who seem to take a higher road, as a rule, than those they bested in the nominating process. I'd begun to hope that we could have an election based on issues rather than on character assassination. Really, folks, we've got to focus on where we want the country to go, not on convincing ourselves and each other which of the two DEMOCRATS is the more evil. Neither is evil although one is acting as if any means will be justified if only the end result is her in the White House. Both are ambitious. And human. They have good points and bad points. Hillary is acting desperate -- and that's a point against her -- but it shows that she's getting truly awful advice. It does not make her Bush. I really wish this primary season were over so that we could get back to the big issues: ending the war in Iraq; fixing the economy; dealing with the environmental challenges and healthcare crisis. Those are the issues. The rest is noise.

[LoRiseAntlers]

McCain decent!?! A man who once called the mother of an American MIA a "traitorous old shrew",decent?A man who left a wife who had been crippled in a car wreck for a younger model,decent?A man who lies about his ties to corporate lobbyists,decent?

Okay,then.

And as nasty and vile the Clintons are,the Repukes haven't even started yet.

[blake510]

I can't wait until she's done. I'm so tired of gardener Penn planting seeds of B.S. all over the media in hopes that something grows. Well, B.S. doesn't grow that well in this type of political climate. We're paying attention now! Get over yourself Senator Clinton.

[Sing]

SURRENDER DOROTHY!!!!

[ICUP]

This is the Clintos M.O.. Say a positive and uplifitng thing and follow it up with a full-on negative attack. They will deny going negative until their dying days, yet they always resort to it. Look at how they painted war hero Stockdale as a doddering old man. Look at how the overplayed the 1991-1992 recession. Negative has worked for them and thus they will stick with it.

[standforpeace]

Hillary Clinton's latest attempt to position herself as the hard swinging sheriff reminds me of someone else I know. Remember "Wanted Dead or Alive" and "Bring it on" and "Mission Accomplished?"

In truth Hillary Clinton is the Democrat most like George Bush. She, rather than Obama, is the one who will share Bush's war legacy with her shameful vote to put a loaded gun in his hand. And just like George Bush, she still refuses to admit that her decision making was flawed. He blames bad intelligence. She blames a bad president. America has had enough of this kind of "experienced leader." It truly is time for change. I am left to "hope" that Obama can deliver because I already know that Clinton is more of the same.

[Countess]

Hillary Clinton is prepared to destroy the democratic party to further her own political ambitions and it is a very ugly spectacle. All progressive people must denounce Clinton's character assassination of Obama which is repugnant.

[PJay]

Someone posted this earlier:

"Here is a list of the super delegates who support Senator Clinton.. Write them and tell them to reprimand her campaign..

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html
Here is the DNC
Democratic National Committee
430 S. Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 20003

Main Phone Number:
202-863-8000
877-336-7200

Contact Howard Dean
http://www.democrats.org/page/petition/chairman

Flood the lines tell them enough is enough"

(Sorry I don't have the name of the poster, but whoever you are, thank you! I emailed Howard Dean and plan to call as well.)